The two major electricity network providers have announced the completion of significant projects within the past week.
UKPN electricity network upgrade project goes live
A UK Power Networks (UKPN) project to upgrade the electricity network for Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire has gone live.
The power supplies for 190,000 properties across Cambridge, Bedford, and St Neots will have upgraded reliability and capacity as a result of the Little Barford project launching.
As one of the biggest infrastructure investments in the region for many years, started in 2018, the project involved installing new cable circuits, rerouting overhead power lines, and installing new towers.
Working alongside its Alliance partners Kier, Wood, and Morrison Energy Services, UKPN installed new 132,000-volt underground cables that stretch 2.5km between Little Barford and Eaton Socon.
Engineering teams used directional drills to channel underneath main roads, a river and a golf course with minimal impact on the local environment.
The work aims to future-proof local power supplies and enable more low-carbon electricity generation to feed into the grid.
Collaborative working with the neighbouring power station and other interested parties allowed all the works to run smoothly.
Arinze Udenwa, project manager for UKPN, said: “The improvement works at Little Barford have replaced old equipment with the modern kit that will increase network reliability for years to come.”
SPEN completes £9 million Ayshire upgrade
ScottishPower Energy Networks (SPEN) announced the completion of its £9.5 million project, upgrading the overhead powerlines in Ayrshire to support the Scottish government’s target of becoming net zero by 2045.
The project, which connects Chipperlaigan and Ayr substations, started in 2021 and involved comprehensive rewiring and steel works on 29 towers spanning more than five miles.
Originally constructed in 1966, the 275 kV double circuit overhead line serves as a vital link in the regional power grid. The modernisation of the network will help support the growing demand for green energy solutions, such as electric vehicles and heat pumps.
Pearse Murray, SP transmission director at SP Energy Networks, said: “This upgrade will help ensure people across Ayrshire can benefit from a modern and resilient electricity network that will make it easier than ever for them to make greener choices in their daily lives.
“Our thanks to local communities for their support as we carried out this vital work in the transition towards net zero carbon emissions and a cleaner and greener future.”
